FMAP-DM CAM 1: The Argentine Stg44 Clone

A was very surprised to learn from Mr. Ronaldo Olive that Argentina once manufactured a clone of the famous StG 44! Ronaldo wrote …

Thought you might be inetrested in the attached photo of the Argentine CAM 1 rifle. “What’s that”? Simply, a locally-made carbon copy of the German StG 44 (ou MP44, if you like) of which FMAP-DM (Fábrica Militar de Armas Portátiles Domingo Matheu, Rosário) completed some hand-made examples in the early 1950s. The idea was to have an, well, ”indigenous” assault rifle for the armed and police forces that could be produced by the State factory. A most remarkable detail was that it was chambered to a 7.65 x 33 mm “Kurz” round created in Argentina by State-owned Fábrica de Cartuchos San Lorenzo, since the standard Argentine military round at the time was also 7.65 mm (7.65 x 53 mm Mauser). Some time later, in 1955, the FAN FAL in 7.62 x 51 mm was adopted and put into production in 1957 by FMAP-DM, which put an end to this project.

The below photo shows the Argentine manufactured 7.65x33mm round next to some more modern cartridges …